The Effect of STAD Model on Students’ Critical Thinking in Grade XI Economics at SMA Negeri 1 Cibingbin

This study was conducted due to the low critical thinking skills of Grade XI Economics students at SMA Negeri 1 Cibingbin, as identified from the results of a preliminary test. The purpose of this research was to determine the effect of applying the cooperative learning model using the Student Teams Achievement Division (STAD) technique on students’ critical thinking skills in economics, specifically on the topics of the Theory of Demand and Supply of Money, Price Index, and Inflation. The research used a quasi-experimental method with a nonequivalent control group design. The instrument used was an essay test, and hypothesis testing was conducted using parametric statistical tests: paired sample test and independent sample test with SPSS 26. The results showed a significant difference in the critical thinking skills of students in the experimental class before and after the implementation of the STAD model. In addition, a significant difference was also found between the experimental class and the control class that used a varied lecture method, with the experimental class achieving higher critical thinking scores. These findings prove that the implementation of the STAD cooperative learning model has a positive influence on students’ critical thinking skills, supporting the use of student-centered and collaborative learning approaches in improving the quality of economic education.